Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with methods and systems for deriving collagen and fibrous tissue.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,612 issued to Fataiha (1993) discloses a method and apparatus for extracting injectable collagen from human adipose tissue, such as removed by liposuction procedures. The apparatus of the '612 patent includes a clear container with inlet and outlet fittings to be attached to the suction line of a liposuction machine to collect globules of adipose tissue. The container has a needle-like rod disposed in its center and an electric motor and belt drive to rotate the rod at a speed sufficient to cause interstitial reticular fiber from adipose tissue to adhere to and wrap around the rod. Water may then be flowed in through the inlet fitting and drawn out through the outlet fitting to flush the adipose tissue out of container, leaving the reticular fibers on the rod. The rod is then retracted (lowered) through a sleeve which has a rotating chopping blade, scrapping the fiber into a cup area of chopping blades. A pharmaceutical carrier such as saline solution is injected into the container. The rotating chopping blades are driven by the motor and belt to emulsify the reticular fibers into the saline solution. The emulsion is then extracted for use as injectable collagen.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,588,732 issued to Buss (2009) discloses an autologous tissue harvesting and irrigation device a method and a kit for the collection of viable fat cells and/or adipose tissue with decreased handing and improved yield and viability. According to the '732 patent the cell harvesting device comprises: a housing comprising a portal located at a proximal end of the housing; a filter chamber assembly connected to the portal and disposed within the housing and having an exterior and an interior, wherein interior of the filter chamber assembly is in fluid communication with the portal; a plunger tube slideably engaged within the filter chamber assembly, the plunger tube comprising a plunger at its proximal end, the plunger disposed within the filter chamber assembly, and wherein the plunger tube has one or more openings that allows fluid communication between the portal, the exterior of the filter chamber assembly and the interior of the plunger tube; and a tubing interface located at the distal end of the plunger tube.
Another example is taught in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20110020864 (Huang, 2011) which discloses a method of preparing collagen by first producing a collagen matrix and then extracting collagen from the matrix. The method taught in the Huang invention comprises the steps of: (i) providing a connective tissue having a surface ranging from 20 mm2 to 2 m2, (ii) swelling the connective tissue with a first acidic solution by at least 50% in volume to form a swollen connective tissue, wherein the acidic solution is substantially free of salt and has a pH of 1-6, (iii) washing the swollen connective tissue to remove non-collagenous material, thereby producing a collagen matrix, and (iv) extracting collagen from the collagen matrix with an extraction solution to produce a collagen-containing solution.
A cryofractionation method for processing an acellular tissue matrix to give a particulate acellular tissue matrix is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,933,326 issued to Griffey et al. (2005). The Griffey method includes: cutting sheets of dry acellular tissue matrix into strips; cryofracturing the dry acellular tissue matrix strips at cryogenic temperatures; separating the resulting particles by size at cryogenic temperatures; and freeze drying the fraction of particles desired size to remove any moisture that may have been absorbed to give a dry particulate acellular tissue matrix. Rehydration of the dry particulate acellular tissue matrix may take place just prior to use. The particulate acellular tissue may be applied to a recipient site, by way of injection, spraying, layering, packing, in-casing, or any combinations thereof. The particulate acellular tissue may further include growth and stimulating agents, other pharmaceutically active compounds, and may also be combined with stem cells.
Finally, U.S. Patent Publication No. 20110020271 (Niklason et al. 2011) describes methods for elastin (a type of collagen) production. The Niklason invention provides methods and kits for soft tissue augmentation, including compositions comprising isolated elastin and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier wherein the human elastin is substantially insoluble in water with a molecular weight greater than 100 kDa.